Thread by @jillpromoli

Our hearts are broken hearing the story of Joanne Ens, a 24-year-old newlywed who died of complications from influenza B on January 6th. Her husband Dustin beautifully and bravely shares her story in this interview with @CTVNews. 1/14

winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/manitoba-woman…

Along with the the news of the death of 17-year-old Blaine Ruppenthal, also from Manitoba, concerns are growing about the risk for healthy low-risk individuals this flu season, as influenza A and B are both circulating heavily at the same time. 2/14

winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg-high-…

While young kids, seniors, pregnant women, and people with underlying health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, and cancer are always at higher risk from the flu, the unfortunate reality is anyone can be hospitalized or die from this preventable disease. 3/14

Today @YourMorning had an excellent conversation with @BogochIsaac on this topic. One question @BenMulroney asked was when to seek treatment if you're sick. It was a great question and it's tricky. If you're concerned, go.

But. 4/14

https://twitter.com/RyanMarino/status/1217290440266993665

The flu is tricky. It can look manageable until it's suddenly not. The vast majority of people who get the flu will recover in days or weeks, but for too many people it's more serious, and can be difficult (or, sadly, impossible) to reverse course. 5/14

cnn.com/2020/01/11/hea…

Jude woke up with a low-grade fever and died that day from cardiac arrest. We couldn't see the effect the flu was having on his body until he wasn't alive anymore. We didn't have the chance to seek help. There was no indication he needed it until it was too late. 6/14

If you get the flu, there are some tips for care here, and please see your doctor with any concerns.

There's one key thing you should do:

7/14

forjudeforeveryone.com/flu-facts/

Don't get the flu. Take every step available to you to prevent the spread of the flu to protect yourself and every single person you come in contact with. Don't take a chance with it. Don't take a chance with your life and health or anyone else's. Save this and follow it. 8/14

The #flushot is our best first defense. It isn't a guarantee. Some who get the flu shot will still get the flu, and some will still have very serious cases, but it significantly reduces the rates of infection, hospitalization, and death. Give yourself the best chance. 9/14

Everyone who gets the flu gets it from someone else. Your choices will either increase or decrease the risk to everyone around you. Your #flushot could stop the flu from reaching someone who won't survive it. Someone's pregnant wife, grandpa, or toddler. 10/14

Flu season is long and it isn't too late to get your #flushot. We have high activity right now but it continues for months longer than we realize. Jude didn't get the flu until May. How many people had it before him? What if just one had taken extra steps to prevent it? 11/14

Final point. Some flu deaths make the news, but thousands of others are quietly grieved. Many aren't tracked in our official system, which only includes deaths from reporting hospitals. Jude didn't die in a reporting hospital and was only tested during his autopsy. 12/14

The deaths we hear about are a fraction of what's happening. ~3500 Canadians and ~36,000 Americans die from the flu in an average year. Do everything you can not to add to the statistics. For you, for your family, #forjudeforeveryone. 13/14

This fall I sat down with @spaikin and Dr. Michelle Murti on @TheAgenda to talk about Jude, the flu, and how to protect yourself and your community. Please watch, and do everything you can to avoid being in our shoes. 14/14

#forjudeforeveryone #flushot

tvo.org/video/preparin…